Operator Workstation Resolution Press Release (Sept 14)

Click on the picture to the left to view the Press Release. The following is the Resolution that was passed unanimously by our membership;

Whereas, transit buses used in North America are decades behind global design and safety standards, endangering the health, safety and lives of operators, riders and pedestrians, and

Whereas, most transit buses on the road in North America have unsafe window pillar designs and hazardously placed mirrors, which create enormous blind spots that are impossible to mitigate with operator behavior and have resulted in collisions in which pedestrians and others have been killed or injured, and

Whereas, assaults on operators often escalate to serious injury or death due to poorly-secured or unsecured workstations, and

Whereas, poor bus suspension and seating lead to back pain and debilitating conditions for operators as well as compromise passenger comfort, and

Whereas, transit worker is already classified as the least healthy job due to primitive controls including steering, pedals and other controls cause extreme rates of occupational injury and disability,

Therefore, be it resolved, that ATU Local 1505 calls on transit agencies and manufacturers to make our buses safe for those who operate and ride them by adopting well-tested solutions, including:

• Protective barriers that can be quickly raised or lowered by an operator, that do not obscure the operator’s view, and that do not block air conditioning or heat from the driver’s workstation

• Unobstructed views for bus operators that include open windshields, minimal A-pillars, and mirrors that don’t obscure an operator’s vision

• Workstations that include ergonomic seating, intelligent steering, adjustable pedals, and a dashboard and steering wheel that both telescope and tilt